Opportunity
by Spicy Tuna Fish Chopper
Summary: After being separated from the Gaang, Toph and Zuko are attacked by Royal Guards, trying to lure Aang to the Fire Nation. They must work together to find the Avatar again so that their lives...and the world... will no longer be in danger. TOKO
1. Pools

**Disclaimer: I don't know Avatar or any of the character unless I specify so. Although I do wish owned them… oh well you can't have everything you want.**

Toph sat quietly on top of Appa, picking her toes and flicking the dirt as a tree nearby. The entire Gaang had disbursed a few moments earlier, leaving Toph alone with Appa.

"Where do you think you're going, Sparky?" she asked, feeling him climb on Appa's broad back.

"I think I'm going to take Appa for a bath but knowing you, I can't be to sure," he said, snapping the rope tied around his horns. Toph smirked, drooping her feet off her knees.

"Fine. But I'm coming too. It's too hot!" she complained, gesturing to the dense, clingy heat around them. Even the Fire Nation Prince who'd grown up around fire would agree it was abnormally hot for this time of year. Something about the weather had put the entire Gaang, except for apparently Toph, on edge.

"Come one Appa." The giant bison groaned, leaping into the air. The rest of the Gaang stayed behind, scoping out the area before they continued their journey to Zuko's old beach home.

The air was oddly stagnant as the trio rose higher and higher into the sky. The sun's blazing force grew hotter and hotter and there was not a cloud in the sky that would off the tiniest bit of shade or relief from the incessant heat.

"It's too hot!" Toph whined again, pulling at her clothes as they clung to her sweaty body. Zuko sighed, steering Appa down towards a pool, half hidden by a rocky over hang.

"Here we are!" He called out as Appa roared, crashing violently into the pool. Toph screamed as she was thrown off, landing on the other side of the pool. She thrashed violently; squeezing her eyes shut and started to sink farther into the water. Even though the cold water was a welcome relief from the heat, her muscles started to tire and she stopped fighting.

"Toph!" A muffled voice came from above her. Toph opened her mouth, letting all her precious air bubbles float away. She felt rough hands grab her arms and drag her back to the surface.

"Are you okay?" Zuko asked, watching her cough violently.

"Ack!" she spat and hacked, shivering.

"Toph?"

"What!" she snarled, slamming her arms on the water surface, sending it into chaos again.

"Are you okay?"

"Well Fire Princess, I was thrown from a fluffy monster and almost drowned. How do you think I feel?" she snapped, suddenly realizing he was still holding her.

"Um—" he frowned, looking down at Toph's blank stare.

"That was a rhetorical question, Sparky," she growled, trying to pull away. As soon as his fingers released her thin wrist, Toph plunged into the water again, swallowing water as she went.

"How about we get you to dry land?" Zuko said as he pulled her from the water again, "Before you kick my ass." She sighed, nodding and let him lead her towards the shore. Appa roared happily off in the distance, rolling in the water and causing tsunami sized waves that sent Toph and Zuko underwater multiple times.

"Dry land. Finally!" Toph gasped, falling to her knees and crawling farther away from the water's edge. Zuko chuckled, turning away to make a fire.

As night began to fall, Toph found her way back to the fire after having spent her entire afternoon in a dirt canyon nearby.

"Welcome. Hungry?" Zuko gestured to the giant bowl of stew steaming over the fire. She looked in his general direction, waving her hand sarcastically in front of her face. He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"You know," she said nonchalantly, feeling Zuko press a bowl into her hand, "I still haven't kicked your ass for almost letting me drown earlier." Zuko choked on his food, nearly spilling it into the fire.

"I saved you! You were going to die!" he argued.

"You could've come a little earlier…I was sinking to the bottom by the time your sorry ass came by to snatch me up!" she muttered. Zuko sighed; knowing that arguing with Toph was like arguing with a rock…literally.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"As you should be you little— wait what?" she paused, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry?" he tried again.

"Sorry? You don't apologize! You're supposed to argue and then…argh!" she shouted in frustration, stomping away. Zuko smirked, remaining by the fire and hoped she wouldn't wander to far or he would have to go find her and face her fury.

Toph fumed silently, stalking away from the fire. Sparky had pushed her buttons and she hated it when someone found out how to irritate her.

"Who goes there?" she called out into the woods, feeling strange vibrations reach her feet slowly. A group of people were stalking through the woods, heading quickly in her direction. Her readied herself for battle, poising herself in a battle position, grinding her heels into the ground. A group of men emerged from the trees, twirling Dao swords. Toph took a deep breath, reading their vibrations.

"Really men, taking on a poor blind girl all by herself. Now that's just unfair!" she lied, pouting her lips.

"You are no helpless girl, earthbender," one of the men replied. Toph smirked before shooting two rocks out at the nearest men.

"You got that right."

**Note: First chapter is over and now you shall wait for the second chapter to come hopefully before next week. Remember to Read & Review!**


	2. Hidden

**Disclaimer: Don't own Avatar blah blah blah and all that stuff. Let the fun continue!**

The men started circling her, their feet loud and clumsy against the earth. Toph waited, letting her arms relax. One stepped forward, starting a charge, swinging his sword in circles above his head. Toph flicked her wrists, sending a wall of earth that knocked him over the trees.

"Who's next?" she smirked. Two men charged forward this time, their battle cries loud and annoying. She spun around, bending the ground beneath their feet and sucking them into the ground.

"Toph!" Zuko yelled, running through the trees towards her. She gritted her teeth, launching a group of massive boulders at another trio of soldier that ran towards her. Toph felt a blast of heat against her skin and guessed that either Zuko had joined the fight or one of the soldiers was a firebender.

"Watch out!" Zuko yelled at her. She rolled her eyes, disappearing underground. She flew up again, knocking a few more soldiers out before they were soon all on the ground, unconscious or trying to crawl away.

"Thanks for the help, Princess," she snapped, stalking away. Zuko sighed and followed at a safe distance. He hadn't arrived as soon as he had liked. He'd heard the skirmish but originally thought is was Toph practicing her earthbending.

"Who were those guards, anyway?" she asked suddenly. Zuko looked at her curiously before pondering the question.

"I'm not sure. They looked Fire Nation from their style of fighting but I didn't see any of them firebend," he replied. She sighed, approaching Appa. He roared at her, rolling on to his back and soon fell asleep.

"Shouldn't we be getting back to Twinkle Toes?"

"Probably but we should wait out the night here. If those soldiers were fire nation, going back to Aang would just lead them straight to him. We'd be doing the Fire Lord a favor," he explained, stretching out by the fire.

"You're not as stupid as you seem, Sparky," Toph commented, bending an earth tent for herself. He smiled before rolling on to his side and slept.

Toph and Zuko sat on Appa as they soared back to the rest of the Gaang. Aang was hopping nervously about, bending air to entertain Momo at the same time.

"Where have you been? We've been worried sick!" Katara gasped as soon as Appa touched down.

"Don't worry Sugar Queen," Toph said, "We had a small run in with some Fire Nation soldier but _I_ took care of it." Katara shot an accusing glare at Zuko before turning away to check on Appa.

"Sokka! Toph and Zuko are back!" Aang called. The Water Tribe warrior nodded and continued to sharpen his meteorite sword.

"When did they leave?"

"Thanks Sokka!" Toph said sarcastically, punching his shoulder, "We missed you too!" He pouted, walking away to find a quieter spot to finish polishing his weapons.

"So what happened?" Aang asked earnestly, sitting next to Katara as they gathered around the dead fire.

"Well, we found a pool for Appa and he crash landed—"

"Almost killing me," Toph added in. Zuko smirked before continuing.

"And Toph wandered off when she was attacked by a group of soldiers. I think they were Fire Nation but I can't be sure, I'd never seen their uniforms before. Then, when they were all down—"

"Thanks to me!" Toph commented.

"Thank you, Toph. Once they were gone, we stayed so as to not draw any attention to Aang's location."

"Wow good job guys. Zuko, you're smarter than people give you credit for, you know?" Aang said cheerfully. Zuko sighed and nodded, "I've been told." He stood quickly and walked away, leaving nothing but a trail of footprints.

"Was it something I said?" Aang whispered.

"Ego check!" Sokka laughed, shoveling food into his mouth. Suki giggled, leaning against Sokka's arm. Katara rolled her eyes at her brother before checking their supplies.

"We need to go into town to get more food. I'm down to what Sokka is currently eating and a loaf of bread," she said. Aang nodded. The Gaang started packing and loaded their things on to Appa. Zuko was the first one in the saddle, fuming silently in the back. Toph clasped her hands around the raised edge of the saddle, waiting for the lurch that sent her stomach flying into her throat.

"Yip yip!" Aang shouted. Appa groaned, snapping his tail and the Gaang sailed into the air. Toph let a faint squeak escape from her lips before burying her head in her arms. Momo leapt into her lap, chattering loudly. She took a few deep breaths before loosening her grip. Even though she'd been traveling with the Avatar for almost a year now, the flying was still something she loathed. She never felt more helpless and yet she still agreed to constantly fly on the fluffy monster.

Of course she couldn't complain to anyone, least of most Aang. It had been mostly her fault that Appa had been taken by the sandbenders back in the desert. Aang was now even more protective of his flying bison than before. Toph sighed again and raised her hand.

"Going down!" Aang called to us. Appa circled slowly, crashing through trees and landed in a small clearing.

"Alright. We're going into town. Aang and I are going to buy supplies. Suki and Sokka, you guys scout for any Fire Nation soldier nearby," Katara decided, and turned to walk away.

"Wait, what about me?" Toph complained.

"I think it's a better idea for you to stay here."

"Why?" she asked, hurt running through her veins.

"Ever since the Runaway scandal, I think it's better for you to stay away from towns for a little while, in case some people still recognize you…" Aang explained sheepishly, walking backwards to avoid a punch from Toph.

"But we were in the Fire Nation when that happened. Plus, that was months ago!"

"Who wants to tell her she made it on the Most Wanted List?" Sokka whispered. Toph's eyes widened, a cocky smiled bursting on to her face.

"Sweet."

**Note: Chapter Three will be up soon, I promise. R&R!**


	3. Disappearance

**Disclaimer: Sorry I took a while to update. Been really busy with life and stuff. I don't own Avatar the last Airbender, blahdie blahdie blah and here we go!**

Toph paced around Appa, slowly creating a ring around him. He growled nervously, creeping away from the earthbender.

"Toph?"

"What?"

"You're carving the ground…" Zuko said. She sighed, flopping down on the ground and started taking out her anger on a small patch of helpless grass. He smirked before turning back to his Dao blades he'd been sharpening.

"Where are they?" she complained, flipping on to her back, her sightless eyes open to the blue sky. Zuko shrugged and continued scraping at the blade.

"We're back!" Sokka crowed cheerfully, sauntering into the clearing. Aang grinned sheepishly as Suki and Katara rolled their eyes.

"What took you so long?" Zuko asked nonchalantly.

"Nothing. After Suki and Sokka finished scouting the area, Sokka wanted to buy a new sword but he took forever and ended up buying nothing," Katara said, shooting glares at Sokka. He ducked into his tent, whistling loudly. Suki laughed, handing the supplies to Katara. Toph stood quickly, grabbing a apple-pear from the basket. She munched on it silently in the corner, resting her palm on the floor.

* * *

><p>Night finally fell over the camp, making the fire they all surrounded seem brighter in the pitch-dark night sky.<p>

"I'm going to find Momo," Aang said suddenly, rising from the ground and walked away into the trees. The rest of the Gaang sat around the fire, eating their stews while listening to the chirping crickets. Toph felt odd, heavy vibrations charging towards them, but they were chasing something, lighter, quicker vibrations. She jumped to her feet as a scream resounded throughout the trees.

"Aang!" Katara yelled, charging forward. The bald monk boy burst from the trees, his face a mask of terror and confusion. A few moments later, a troop of fire nation soldiers ran out of the trees. They looked around, quickly spotting Aang. Toph jumped between them, shooting boulders at rapidly.

"You scouted the area? Way to go Sokka!" Toph snarled sarcastically. A slew of boulders rose into the air again.

"Watch it Toph!" Sokka yelled, leaping to avoid a rock. She rolled her eyes, "I can't see where it lands after it's in the air!" Katara lashed out with her water whip, knocking down two guards, flinging a third guard away with a water bubble. Sokka screamed wildly, knocking heads with his boomerang. Suki knocked them down with jabs and kicks, moving from one opponent to another. Zuko knocked down spears and let out short fire blasts.

"Let's get out of here!" Aang yelled. Toph ignored the call, continuing her bending. Zuko fought beside her, quickly, blasting three guards away.

"Yeah! Go running back to your mommas!" Toph yelled after the retreating soldiers. She breathed heavily for a few moments before turning around. Her acute eyes were met with only silence. Appa's heavy steps were gone and no one else was around.

"Hello?" she called.

"Toph?" Zuko's voice came from behind her.

"Where is everyone?" she asked.

"Gone. They're all gone."


	4. Choices

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, even though I wish I did. Here we have chapter 4. Allons-y!**

"This is a sick joke guys! Come out now!" Toph screamed at the trees. Her yells were met with nothing. Zuko sighed and leaned back on his forearms as he sat next to their old fire from the night before.

"Toph!" Zuko said, trying to bring her back to reality.

"So they're gone? Are you sure Princess?" she asked from the hundredth time. Zuko groaned and nodded.

"Yes. They're all gone. Appa took off just as the soldiers ran off. No one bothered to come back and get us," he explained.

"Those jerks!" she cried, slamming her fists into the group, sending quivers through the earth. Zuko chuckled and shook his head at the young earthbender.

"Don't worry, Toph. They're probably going to lay low for a while until this whole even blows over and then come back and find us. We just need to wait."

"I hate waiting."

"Trust me, I know," he grumbled. Zuko rose silently and started walking into the trees, kicking stones as he went.

"Where are you going?" she asked, fear shooting through her voice. He raised an eyebrow as he detected fear in her voice. He opened his mouth to tease but thought better against it since she was ticked off enough as it was already.

"To gather wood. I'll be right back," he assured her and continued on his way.

"Right," she muttered. She tapped her fingers on the ground as she waited. Zuko soon returned and piled the wood in a circle of stones. He heated the green, wet wood.

"Why don't you just shoot a flame into the wood?" she asked, scooting closer to the heat that began to emanate from the circle of stones.

"I could do that, but drying the wood ensures that the fire lasts longer," he explained. Toph simply shrugged and turned away from the flames, letting them cast shadows across her features. He watched the flame's light dance across her face. She turned her face and although Zuko knew she couldn't see him, he still blushed and looked down as their eyes met. Night fell completely and they lay down to sleep, their first day of being separated was coming to a close.

* * *

><p>"Maybe we should go back to look for them?" Aang suggested, sitting on Appa's head. Katara exchanged concerned looks with Sokka before shaking her head.<p>

"I just don't think that that is a good idea, Aang," she said.

"Yeah! Those Fire Nation thugs could still be lurking around and purposefully separated us just to get to you," Sokka said. Aang shrugged and turned around to steer Appa.

"So where do we go now?" Suki asked. "It's clear that they know we're in the Earth Kingdom. We need to go somewhere safe."

"How about the Water Tribes? They've sheltered us before," Katara proposed. Sokka shook his head vigorously before opening his pack to eat something.

"I already caused them to lose one princess, we are not going to put our people at risk again!" he snapped.

"It wasn't your fault, Sokka," Aang murmured. He sighed, resting his head on Suki's shoulder. She stroked his hair and sighed.

"Okay, Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes out. Fire Nation will always be a big no. Air Temples?" Aang asked. The teenagers sat pondering for a few moments before giving stray nods.

"Azula destroyed the Western Air Temple… And I don't want to go back to the Southern Air Temple. The Northern Air Temple is already inhabited…"

"Really?" Suki asked, looking at Sokka.

"Long story." She shrugged and looked back at Aang.

"Then we go to the Eastern Air Temple. Guru Pathik lives there!" Aang said cheerfully.

"Who?" they all asked. Aang grinned sheepishly, remembering that he'd actually told anyone about his journey to the Eastern Air Temple, the specific reason and Guru Pathik had never been seen or heard from again.

"Guru Pathik! He taught me how to access the Avatar state before the Ba Sing Sei…incident," he muttered, exchanging glances with Katara. She smiled sadly at him before placing a hand on his shoulder. Aang nodded since they all decided and directed Appa eastward.

* * *

><p>Toph felt vibrations in the ground, through her cheek. She shifted slowly in her earth tent, feeling the motions better with her feet and hands. It was definitely footsteps. She sunk slowly into the ground, letting the tent dissolve around her. She was totally swallowed by the ground when the vibrations stopped above her. She shot upwards, knocking the solid form above her to the side.<p>

"Ouch! God dammit, Toph!" Zuko snapped. She blushed, hiding her face behind her hands.

"I thought the guards had come back!" she protested, hoisting him back to his feet.

"It was me!" he snarled.

"Yes, Sparky! I realize that now! But how was I supposed to know? I'm blind!" she complained. He sighed and walked to the fire, bringing it to life again.

"It's going to be a long few days," he muttered to himself. Toph snorted, falling on to her back. They sat in silence for a few moments before Toph spoke up again.

"I'm hungry," she said suddenly. He rolled his eyes and then noticed his own hunger began to surface.

"We'd better find something to eat."

A loud rumble came from Toph, causing Zuko to jump. She laughed and kicked her feet into the air.

"And soon!" Zuko nodded, rubbing his neck nervously.


	5. Risks

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender although I wish I did! Hi! I have not updated in a long time and now I'm going to try to **

**upload a few more chaps before I disappear once more. Where we left off, Zuko and Toph had been separated from the rest of the Gaang.**

Zuko and Toph walked quietly through the town. Before they had even reached the outskirts of the tiny Earth Kingdom city, night had fallen, leaving Zuko to be led by

Toph.

"Dammit!" he cursed again, stubbing his foot on yet another branch or rock, he could no longer tell. She smirked, easily stepping over a raised ledge. Zuko grumbled

under his breath, stumbling around like an idiot. A few lights hung from the doorways, illuminating the streets, altering the duo (at least Zuko) to which restaurants

or stores were still open.

Toph's stomach let out another rumbling growl as her nose caught a whiff of food.

"This way!" she commanded, leading him towards an open doorway. They stepped into a small teahouse. Three of the multiple tables were filled and a large group was

preparing to leave as they entered. Zuko directed them to the table closest to the door, wary of the possibility of Fire Bending soldiers ambushing them. A short, bald

man approached them, beaming brightly with sweat trickling down his temples.

"How may I help you?"

"Some jasmine tea and whatever food you have," Zuko said. The man nodded and scuttled away slowly, tending to other tables as he went.

Aang yawned, his bleary eyes threatening to close and send his flying bison crash into the Earth Kingdom below them.

"I don't see them anywhere!" Katara cried out in distress. Sokka had already given up on finding their friends and snored loudly in the corned of Appa's saddle. Suki

sighed, looking t her boyfriend with love and slight annoyance.

"Guys, I doubt they made it this far from where we were camping. We should circle back and try to find them again," Aang suggested. He knew he needed to get to

Guru Patik soon and finished his Avatar State training, but now, he was more frightened of Toph's anger from being left behind.

"Aang, we need to get you to the Eastern Air temple. Our chance with the comet already passed. The Fire Nation is getting stronger and stronger every minute we

waste. I know it feels wrong just leaving them to fend for themselves, but Zuko and Toph will be fine. They're capable of taking care of themselves. The most

important thing now is getting Aang to the Air Temple," Katara lectured, holding a steady gaze to each person around her. Aang nodded solemnly and turned Appa

away from the ground and soared east to the temple.

* * *

><p>Toph grumbled angrily, pushing herself off the ground as the sun climbed higher into the sky.<p>

"Hey," Zuko muttered, watching her rise from across the small clearing.

"Where are we? How did I get here?" she yawned, stretching her little rams above her head. Zuko blushed deeply before replying to the earthbender's inquiries.

"We were having dinner and you fell asleep. I—um, carried you out here," he mumbled. She frozen, blushing herself before shaking off the awkwardness.

"Oh, well thanks Sparky." Zuko rolled his eyes at the nickname and stood.

"Where to now?"

"We should probably try to track them down and rejoin with the gang. There's no risk in just the two of use traveling alone, so we should be able to gather

information fairly quickly," he suggested. Toph nodded, rising as well, only to feel rabid vibrations crashing towards them. They felt like running, similar to the guards

that attacked them.

"Incoming!" she called, pointing behind Zuko. He spun around as a small troop of Fire Nation guards burst through the undergrowth, followed by Azula on a komodo-

rhino.

"Well, well, well, Zuzu, I thought I might find you here. Where's the Avatar?" she snarled, sliding off the huge animal with an almost cat-like grace. She smirked,

circling her brother and the blind earth bender.

"What do you want Azula?"

"Oh, nothing really that you don't know yet. Just the usual. Guarantee my inheritance of the throne, kill my brother, capture the Avatar…nothing new," she replied

simply. Zuko rolled his eyes, holding his arms out firmly in a combat position.

"Lady, you get crazier and crazier every time I hear you talking," Toph snickered. Azula frowned, glaring at the girl in front of her.

"I'm a giant purple platypus bear with wings and pink spots," she said mockingly.

"Ah, now I remember," Azula laughed with delight.

"Yeah, Miss Crazies, you're kinda hard to forget," Toph spat.

"Lovely. Arrest them." The guards all leapt forward, shooting small bolts of hot fire out of their fists. Zuko knocked them all away, replying with his own medley of

kicks that knocked one of the guards into the bushes. Toph bended the earth beneath their feet, trapping the rest of the guards in the ground before charging after

Azula, who sat calmly on top of her monster.

"Toph!" Zuko called, knocking out the last guard and followed the angry earthbender. She ignored his call and leapt up, shooting large boulders at the komodo-rhino. It

roared angrily, sweeping out it's long black tail. Toph grunted as the tail connected with her gut, sending her reeling backwards. Azula laughed, firing a massive wave

of fire down on Toph. Zuko jumped in front of the blue flames, parting them with his hands and roared angrily, throwing more fire back at his sister. She dodged with a

wild cartwheel and landed lightly on the rhino's back.

Zuko spun around, being chased by various fire blasts and pulled groaning Toph from the bushes. As he raised her head, Toph turned away from him and vomited. He

groaned, looking away quickly to block a wall of flame. Toph groaned again, trying to fall to the ground. Azula cackled, throwing hit after hit towards her brother and

the little earthbender.

"Are you okay?" he whispered as Azula temporarily stopped her onslaught.

"I'm fine," she snarled, rising to her feet, teetering precariously. Zuko caught her upper arm but she slapped him away, sliding her bare feet into a strong stance.

Azula frowned, pausing as her was about to throw another blast.

"Aw, isn't that sweet? I thought I got rid of you, little brat. The blind just don't know when to give up, huh?" she taunted. Toph frowned.

"Big mistake, bitch. Big mistake," she snarled. Azula blinked, before her spotted the huge boulder sailing through the air towards her. She cried out and the ground

beneath her buckled, sending her and the komodorhino soaring through the air. Zuko grinned, watching his sister grow smaller and smaller as she flew through the

clear blue sky. He spun to face Toph, only to find her collapsed and scarcely breath on the dirt.

* * *

><p>Aang slept soundly on Appa's large white head. The others slept in the large brown saddle. With a soft roar, Appa circled the air and landed softly on the concrete circle<p>

near the Eastern Air Temple. Aang yawned and rubbed his eyes with his fists, sliding lazily off the flying bison. A figure sat in the distance, on a high platform nearly on

a cliff. Aang's face brightened as he recognized Guru Patik.

"Guru Patik!" he called, airbending himself up to the old master. He chuckled, watching Aang out of half closed eyes.

"Welcome back, young Avatar. Have you come back to continue your training?" he asked. Aang nodded solemnly, bowing respectfully to the old man in front of him.

He remembered how he ran out of the Guru to save Katara, only to watch the greatest city in the Earth Kingdom fall into the clutches of the Fire Nation.

"Very well. But be warned," Guru Patik said simply, his face serious. "If you leave again, I will _not _take you back again."

**note: sorry this is so short, just wanted to add something quick and I wanted to get this up...So peace!**


	6. Feelings

**Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA, so here we go!**

Zuko lifted Toph off the ground and started sprinting back towards the town. She groaned softly, her arms wrapped protectively around her middle. He broke the edge of the town, and sprinted towards the restaurant where they'd eaten the night before. He burst in, startling the owner as he opened swept the floors.

"I need a doctor!" Zuko shouted. The man jumped and sprinted out of the restaurant, shouting. Zuko laid Toph across the cushions near the back. She continued moaning, shifting slightly as the restaurant remained empty. Suddenly, Toph's eyes opened and she coughed before speaking.

"Where the hell am I?" she muttered. Zuko let out a breath of relief, crouching down next to her.

"We're back at the restaurant, getting you some help," he replied. She chuckled softly but winced.

"What are you going to do? Fill me with tea?" Toph joked softly, her eye fluttering open and shut. He scowled at her, pushing her bangs out of her pale green eyes.

"You got hit by the komodo-rhino," he reminded her. She nodded, running at hand over her stomach, flinching.

"Remind me to thank you sister next time I see her, okay?" she replied sarcastically. Zuko smirked and rose as the restaurant owner returned followed by a tall, willowy woman. She pushed Zuko aside roughly, bending water over Toph's stomach. She frowned, pulling up Toph's shirt and bended it over the discolored skin. Toph's normally pale stomach was a giant patch of purple and black, with angry red lines where the komodo-rhino's ridges had hit.

"This is bad, this is really bad," she said, rising as the blue glow from the healing water died down. Zuko flinched, glancing down at Toph.

"She's going to need to be moved to a proper healing facility." The waterbender moved to leave when Zuko grabbed her arm, yanking her back.

"Can you heal her?"

"The damage to her ribcage and—"

"Can you _heal her_?" he growled again. She sighed and nodded quickly, jerking her arm away. "Follow me," she hissed. Zuko swooped Toph off the cushion and jogged out after the waterbender, continuously glancing down at Toph.

* * *

><p>Katara stirred the water above the fire, watching Aang meditate with Guru Patik in the distance, on a separate platform above them. Appa roared, circling the air, chasing Momo who squawked in the trees until Appa crashed into them. Sokka jogged in circles, pumping his sword in the air. Suki rolled her eyes, joining Katara by the fire.<p>

"Is Aang going to eat with us today?" she asked. Katara shook her head, looking up at him again.

"Only onion and banana juice for him until he finishes his training," she replied. Suki wrinkled her nose and went back to laughing at Sokka doing his exercises. The sun crawled slowly across the sky until Katara called for lunch. Sokka sprinted over, grabbing the bowl and sat to wolf down his food.

"I feel bad, eating regular food while Aang has to meditate all day and drink onions and bananas," Katara muttered. Sokka snorted, serving himself again.

"He's the Avatar. No one said this job was going to be easy, let him suffer a little," he said. Katara scowled at her older brother but said nothing, pushing her food away.

* * *

><p>Toph woke slowly, her eyes aching and her entire body stiff. She stretched her arms above her head and groaned as she arched her back before feeling pain blossom in her stomach.<p>

"Ah, you're awake, good," a strange voice said. Toph turned her head in the direction of the voice, feeling the vibrations from someone she didn't recognize.

"Who are you?"

"I am Master Ming. I am your healer," she explained. Toph nodded, as the woman got closer.

"Where's Zuko?" she asked softly. The woman chuckled, placing a soft, glowing hand over Toph's midriff.

"Your companion is asleep in the next room. I finally convinced him to rest while you were healing. He's very dedicated, you know," she said. Toph blushed softly, feeling the healer's hands move smoothly over her stomach, numbly the pain that had suddenly appeared.

"You should be better soon," she announced, rising to her feet once more. Toph smiled, trying to roll on to her side but decided instead to remain on her back when pain shot through her.

"Try to rest, okay?"

"Fine," she replied. The waterbender was gone and Toph remained alone, tapping her fingers irritably against the wall next to her.

Zuko snored softly in the next room; she could hear him through the thin walls. She still couldn't understand why the firebender took care of her. Toph never asked him too, and frankly, she'd rather he didn't but it was weirdly flattering to have someone so concerned for her well being for the first time in a long time. She was unsure why he paid attention to her, she wasn't pretty. No man her parents pushed at her had ever been truly interested in her as a person, only the money she had and now, there was this firebender, conflicted, confused, trying to do the right thing for the first time in his life and his interested drifted to Toph.

She knew they couldn't possibly be love interests. He would more likely to like Suki (though Sokka might kill him) than her. Or Katara even more so (Aang might kill him there too…) so he had no reason to like Toph at all. She knew she was difficult, stubborn, and hard to get along with, but that's just who she was. She needed to be all those things to survive with her parents and to be an earthbender, specifically the best one in the world. She sighed, letting her thoughts drift away when she noticed the snoring next door had stopped.

"Toph!" she jumped, cringing ass she jerked to face the door where Zuko stood, disheveled and breathing hard as though he'd been sprinting for miles.

"Hi Sparky," she called weakly, fighting through the burst of pain. He knelt by the bed, his hair hanging in his amber eyes as he brushed Toph's bangs out of her face.

"I'm so glad you're okay."

**note: feel free to R&R! I really hope you enjoyed!**


	7. Chameleon Bay

**Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA. I'm very sorry, but I won't be updating for a while, probably until August, so I'm trying to get as many chapters up as possible. Please Enjoy and I'll see you all soon!**

After a few days of rest, Toph could walk around the healing institute and Zuko stood with her, keeping an eye on her. Toph sat on a small cushion, feeling the other patients around her moving, their steps hesitant and clumsy. Zuko returned with their food, placing a bowl of thick stew in front of the earth bender.

"I think we should try to find Aang," she stated softly. He nodded. They finished eating quickly and thanked Ming for her kindness before heading out on ostrich-horses. Toph sat behind Zuko, her arms stiffly wrapped around his middle as the creature carried them farther into the Earth Kingdom. They had decided earlier to search all the Air Temples, except the Western one, which Azula had previously destroyed. They were going to start with the Northern Air temple, before skirting around Ba Sing Sei and heading to the Eastern one. It would take about a month to complete the whole journey, but they had to be meticulous in finding the young Avatar and their friends.

They stopped at the base of the mountains. Zuko could see the temple above their heads and there were strange dark figures, flying through the air. He sighed, gathering wood as Toph bent them earth tents and a small ring to contain the fire.

"We'll sleep here tonight and then get up to the temple in the morning, okay?" he said. She nodded, kicking small puffs of dirt into the air. He remained next to the fire, keeping it stoked as Toph retired into her tent. He stayed next to the fire the entire night before resting his chin on his arms, crossed over his knees before nodding off.

"Rise and shine, Sparky," Toph said cheerfully, knocking the young prince over as she burst from her tent. He yelped, sprawling across the floor before shooting the girl an angry glare.

"I'm up, I'm up," he grumbled. She grinned, petting the ostrich-horse's nose as the prince approached her and helped her on to the animal before mounting it himself, this time he was behind her, almost cradling Toph.

"What are you doing?" she squeaked softly, feeling his warm body press against her. He chuckled softly and kicked the creature's sides. They soon found a small footpath leading up through the mountains.

"Do I hear…laughter?" Toph suddenly said. Zuko frowned and stopped the ostrich-horse. He heard it too, barely. The sound of children's laughter.

"Does someone live here?" she asked.

"I know there was an engineer that lived here when Aang was first running around," Zuko said.

"Really?"

"Yes, he designed the air balloons for the Fire Nation Air Force," Zuko explained. "Many of the tanks and other machine the weapons used by the Fire Nation were built by this man."

"So he's a nut job?" she asked. Zuko rolled his eyes and continued upwards. They reached the gates within a few moments before being stopped by a group of ragged looking men.

"Who are you?" one of them asked.

"I am Toph Bei Fong and this is Sparky," she replied cheerfully. The men exchanged a few looks before laughing.

"What is your business here at the Air Temple?" the same man asked.

"We're searching for Avatar Aang," she said boldly. They broke into whispers.

"The Avatar has not been here for many months," they said. Zuko nodded and turned the beast away, heading down the mountain once more. They camped in the same spot once more before turning towards Chameleon Bay.

* * *

><p>Katara arranged her sleeping things once more, tying them in neat packages before loading them into Appa's saddle.<p>

"Are we ready to go?" she called over her shoulder. Suki came up behind her, tossing her a few more things before nodding. They had decided to leave Aang with Guru Pathik and head off in search of Toph and Zuko, who'd been missing for nearly three weeks. Sokka gave his last good bye to Aang and charged off to Katara's side, who had yet to say her farewells. She approached the young monk slowly, holding back her tears. She wasn't sure why she was sad, it was not the first time they would be separated but for some reason, this time felt different.

"Good bye, Aang," she whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. He smiled, pressing forward to hug her. They remained tightly entangled before parting.

"You'll come back soon," he assured her. Katara sniffled and nodded, giving him one last hug before running to Appa.

"Yip, yip," she said, snapping the reins. The sky bison roared and leapt into the air, Momo flying circles around him and chattering wildly. Aang watched his friends fly, a small tear trickling down his cheek as he waved them away,

* * *

><p>They arrived at Chameleon Bay at nightfall, the last of the ships docking for the night. Zuko pulled a hood over his head as Toph purchased tickets, hiding in the shadows. There were many other people camped out at the docks, similar to Full-Moon Bay. Zuko watched the people, traumatized by the horrors his people had imposed on the other populations.<p>

"Here we go. We leave on the first boat at dawn," Toph said, coming close to him. He nodded, taking the tickets from her hands and tucked them safely away in his shirt. They slept, leaning against a wall and leaning against one another, waiting for the sun to rise.

**Note: sorry for the short chapter, I will dearly try to put another one up tomorrow, for any of my stories but if that doesn't happen, I wish you all well. Thanks for reading**


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